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Alpha Sleuth® Event History -- 2007
May 20, 2007: Dan Meinking developed a new puzzle with letter-set and grid.
May 22, 2007: Dan coined the name "Alpha Sleuth", to be trademarked later.
May 22, 2007: John Meinking added manual clues to our Excel spreadsheet design.
May 23, 2007: Colleen Meinking & Kathy Gerend-Meinking were the initial 'testers'.
May 30, 2007: Priscilla Meinking also began test-solving.
May 31, 2007: Dan changed the arbitrary clues into a clue-word.
June 1, 2007: Dan developed the clue-phrase, linked to the grid via numbered cells.
June 6, 2007: Simple word-search tool developed to help with composing.
June 7, 2007: Dan began making phrases 'thematically related' to words in the grid.
June 10, 2007: Dan & Colleen discuss turning "Alpha Sleuth" into a new magazine.
June 11, 2007: Initial plans for the Alpha Sleuth® Composing Tool (ASCT) formed.
June 13, 2007: Dave Brown agreed to begin the font & graphics development.
June 16, 2007: Submitted Trademark registration to use "Alpha Sleuth" in commerce.
June 20, 2007: Colleen found Deerfield Press as our top printing candidate.
June 31, 2007: Dave's initial font set ready for review & testing with ASCT.
July 3, 2007: Dave's letter- and number-BMPs ready for testing.
July 9, 2007: Dave developed another font to represent the letter-set.
July 10, 2007: Colleen started on her initial cover designs.
July 15, 2007: Alpha Sleuth® Composing Tool (ASCT), Beta-1, released.
July 16, 2007: Jennifer Meinking agreed to help setup our website.
July 19, 2007: ASCT, beta-2 released.
July 21, 2007: Dave's first batch of graphics (for magazine and web) delivered.
July 22, 2007: ASCT, beta-3 released.
July 23, 2007: Converted all old Excel puzzles into ASCT format.
July 25, 2007: Puzzles for Volume 1 assembled using the ASCT. .
July 30, 2007: The official "KingMate Products" business stamp design created.
July 31, 2007: Colleen's final cover design completed.
August 1, 2007: First draft of Alpha Sleuth®, Volume 1 delivered to printers.
August 3, 2007: First "proof copies" of Volume 1 received from printers.
August 3, 2007: Submitted bus. registration ("KingMate Products") to State of Ohio.
August 8, 2007: Final draft of Alpha Sleuth®, Volume 1 delivered to printers.
August 11, 2007: First shipment of Alpha Sleuth® magazine ready.
August 18, 2007: Received our first subscriptions: Mike & Mary Neumeier.
September 8, 2007: Alpha Sleuth® available at two Barnes & Noble locations.
September 17, 2007: Dan & Colleen interviewed by Community Press; article here.
September 20, 2007: Alpha Sleuth® available at Good Sam gift shop.
September 21, 2007: Alpha Sleuth® available at Hug Jewelers.
September 22, 2007: Dan, Colleen and Mike Neumeier interviewed by Downtowner.
September 27, 2007: Alpha Sleuth® available at Bethesda Oak.
October 3, 2007: Article and puzzle in the Downtowner.
October 20, 2007: Alpha Sleuth® Solving Tool made available.
October 31, 2007: Announced a fundraiser for U.S. troops in Iraq.
November 4, 2007: Solver David Moulton sets record time: 7 minutes!
November 18, 2007: Solver David Moulton beats his own record time: 6 minutes!
November 26, 2007: Switching from Alpha Sleuth® to puzzle books.
December 2, 2007: Solver David Moulton's winning streak ended at six weeks.
December 23, 2007: Solver Ron Schuermann sets new record time: 3 minutes!
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